Skip to main content

An Offensive Grand Canyon Landmark Now Has a New Name

An Offensive Grand Canyon Landmark Now Has a New Name

A campground at Grand Canyon National Park has a new name this week after a government body voted to ditch its old, offensive moniker.

In a unanimous vote earlier this month, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names voted to change the name of Indian Garden to Havasupai Gardens, following a request from the tribe of the same name who have resided in the canyon for hundreds of years. The National Park Service announced the change on Monday, November 21, and noted that efforts to change the name on maps and signs were already underway. The NPS and Havasupai Tribe plan to hold a renaming ceremony in 2023.

“The eviction of Havasupai residents from Ha’a Gyoh coupled with the offensive name, Indian Garden, has had detrimental and lasting impacts on the Havasupai families that lived there and their descendants,” Havasupai Chairman Thomas Siyuja, Sr. wrote in a press release. “Every year, approximately 100,000 people visit the area while hiking the Bright Angel Trail, largely unaware of this history. The renaming of this sacred place to Havasupai Gardens will finally right that wrong.”

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable said that the park was “proud” to work alongside the Havasupai to change the campground’s name: 

“The Havasupai people have actively occupied this area since time immemorial, before the land’s designation as a National Park and until the park forcibly removed them in 1926. This renaming is long overdue. It is a measure of respect for the undue hardship imposed by the park on the Havasupai people.”

Located along the Bright Angel Trail, Havasupai Gardens was originally known as Ha’a Gyoh before the U.S. government forcibly relocated the tribe from the inner canyon. In 1928, the NPS removed the last Native resident of the area, who the agency called Billy Burro. His descendents, who later changed their name to Tilousi, or “storyteller,” were among those who fought for the campground’s name change. Carletta Tilousi, a member of the family and former tribal Council member, said that she hoped the name change would inspire other tribes to “reclaim their lands” by changing names there as well.

The post An Offensive Grand Canyon Landmark Now Has a New Name appeared first on Outside Online.


by POM Administrator via Outside Online

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Frontier Couple Who Chose Death Over Life Apart

Eric Bealer arrived in Sitka for the last time in a boat weighed down with his art.  It was late March 2018. Bealer, an Alaskan artist who specialized in intricately detailed wood engravings , had just traveled for two days from his homestead on Lisianski Inlet, through the rough winter waters off the west­ern edges of Chichagof and Baranof Islands, to the relative shelter of Sitka Sound. His skiff, built by hand using materials harvested and salvaged from Alaska’s coast, was jam-packed with his work: old prints, new prints, even the ink-stained, delicately carved wooden blocks used to make the prints themselves. There was so much art filling the little boat that, during his overnight layover en route to Sitka, Bealer had no room to lie down. He slept onshore, on the ground. Eugene Solovyov met him on the dock in Sitka’s Crescent Harbor. Solovyov, owner of the Sitka Rose Gallery, had known Bealer for more than two decades, ever since the artist walked in one day in the mid-199...

Long-Term Review: La Sportiva Bushido II

The La Sportiva Bushido II ($130, 10.5 ounces) is designed as an all-mountain trail-running shoe. It may perform well in that application, but I bought a pair earlier this summer to use for hiking in Alaska’s Brooks Range and on the Yosemite High Route in early-season conditions. Over a five-week period, I put 315 demanding miles on the Bushido II, using it to scramble across granite slabs, hold my edge on steep tundra slopes, scurry over talus and through scree, kick steps into the   snow, and push through thick willows, dwarf birches, and alders. For many of those miles, the shoes were soaking wet, due to countless fords, waterlogged ground, and melting snow. How did the second-generation Bushido perform? And how does it compare to the original Bushido and to other popular backpacking shoes? The original Bushido (see  my long-term review ) was a winner for La Sportiva. It was the bestselling women’s trail-running shoe at REI and an employee favorite. No...

6 Reasons Why Denver is the Best Basecamp for Outdoor Adventure

Few cities offer the same proximity to both outdoor adventures and vibrant urban experiences as Denver. Within a short drive of the city center, you can find four seasons’ worth of activities, including world-class climbing routes, fly-fishing oases, snowy slopes, and plenty of trails for hiking, biking, and trail running. And in town, you’ll find arts, culture, and dining experiences fit for any occasion. Staying at one of the many luxurious and unique hotels means you’ll wake up ready to seize the day on the trails or in the mountains. Plus, Denver famously has 300 days of sunshine, so you can easily ski and SUP in the same weekend—if not the same day. On a well-earned rest day, you’ll want to wander around town by foot, bike, light rail, or pedicab to explore the ever-changing art scene or book yourself an experience at any of the unique wellness spas and fitness studios to relax and restore your body.  Here’s just a small taste of what you can do in a week or long weekend wi...